Oakland Demonstration as Movement to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Gains Momentum

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar / Pro Bono Photo

Political activist Mumia Abu-Jamal who has been on death row for forty years is seen by legions of supporters as a wrongly convicted political prisoner. The movement to have his conviction overturned and free him has been working and holding demonstration on his behalf for years. In an Oakland demonstration today, December 16, supporters heard some good news from Philadelphia where his case is being fought.

From his legal team:

Today we won a major step in the path to bring Mumia Abu-Jamal home. Judge Lucretia Clemons has granted Mumia's defense attorneys the right to review the contents of over 30 boxes of newly discovered evidence from 2019 that the prosecution withheld from the defense back in the original 1982 trial. Since the discovery in 2019, only 6 boxes were made available to the defense and in those boxes were documents proving Batson and Brady violations--racial bias in jury selection and witness bribery by the prosecution, respectively. The defense has 60-90 days to sift through and look for evidence of other judicial and proprietorial misconduct.

Back on October 26, Judge Clemons indicated she planned on fully dismissing the appeal today, initially citing the 2019 evidence as "immaterial". For her to pump the breaks and grant this means the tides are turning.

How did this happen?

1. A massive letter writing campaign to Judge Clemons spearheaded by @noname's book club who had watched the documentary "Justice on Trial - The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal" and felt compelled to do something. Hundreds of letters from across the globe landed on her desk.

2. An amicus brief filed by the United Nations this week on behalf of Mumia, urging Judge Clemons to consider the racist context under which Mumia was initially tried and convicted.

3. The construction of the first mural for Mumia in the city of Philadelphia and the growing awareness about his case.

Public pressure works. No man made system is above the laws of thermodynamics.

Victory will be when, not if, Mumia walks out of SCI Mahanoy as a free man.

We will continue to strategize and organize until that day.

See all high resolution photos here.